Package



Sept. 1, 1925. 1,552,177

W B. PRESCOTT PACKAGE Fil ad April 14. 1924 Patented Sept. 1, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM B. PRESCOTT, 0F PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRDTO LAWRENCE RICHMOND AND ONE-THIRD TO THOMAS A. JENCKES, JR., BOTH OFPROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

PACKAGE.

Application filed April 14, 1924. Serial No. 706,497..

To all whom it may concern Be it known that VVIILIAM B. Pnnsoo'r'r acitizen in the United States, residing at 259 Benefit Street,Providence, of the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, hasinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Packages, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to packages, especially to frangible packages forholding frangible tubular articles such as cigars, cigarettes,cartridges, and comprises the combination, with such a package of meansdis- I posed underneath one wall of said package parallel to the tubulararticles as they are packed to protect the tubular articles containedtherein on fracture of said wall.

I have shown and illustated my invention as employed in connection withthe packaging of cigarettes, but it is obvious that it may be employedfor the packaging of other articles or products.

Cigarettes have been packaged for sale in various types of containers.My invention is peculiarly adapted for pouch like wrappers, commonlyadapted to -hold twenty cigarettes, the common type of package for themore inexpensive American cigarettes. This type of package normallycomprises a plurality of layers of frangible material completelyenveloping the cigarettes. These layers often comprise a layer ofprotecting paper contiguous to the cigarettes, a layer of tin-foil overthis, a layer of paper over this usually containing the printing matterand a layer of glazed or otherwise moistureproofed paper on the outside.These layers are usually wrapped around the cigarettes in package likefashion, having the upper end of the package folded over, and normallysealed by the revenue stamp. A package of this type forms a mostdesirable package for cigarettes as it is neat, compact, inexpensive andbeing flexible in its entirety more or less automatically conforms tokeep the cigarettes in compact relation even when opened.

Said pouch like packages are usually opened by tearing the revenue stampand tearing open the folds at the upper end. I am aware that tabs havebeen provided in the upper end of such a package to open only a portionof said end. I

If one wall of such a package be split in of such a pouch like packa 'e,the package 1 after once being opened wil normally tend to spring backto its original configuration, and the cigarettes will not fall out. Dueto the fact that the cigarettes are unable to move longitudinally, it isobvious that the cigarettes will be retained nearer their packagedposition than hitherto, and will keep in a more perfect condition untilthe last cigarette is removed.

The disadvantage of fracturing one wall of such a package in the manneraforesaid is that one cigarette or similar article, is usually ruined bythe use of the knife or fingernail employed to fracture the wall. Toprevent this and to embody the advantages of such a method of opening ashitherto explained into a commercial package, I insert, as explained,means underneath one wall parallel to the cigarettes as they arepackaged to protect the cigarettes on the fracture of said wall.

These and such other objects of my invention that may hereinafter appearwill be best understood from a description of one embodiment thereofsuch as the ciga- .rette package shown in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a'cigarette packagemade in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing said package after it has beenopened.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 of Fig. 1. h

' Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a protecting strip having a V-shapedgroove. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a protectin strip having asemi-circular groove.

11 the drawings, wherein like characters of reference indicate likeparts throughout, 10 generally indicates a cigarette package made inaccordance with my invention. The package 10 generally is of a commontype now on the market, so I will not explain in detail how it iswrapped and folded. Said package 10 has its walls 11 constructed of afrangible, flexible material. For purposes of explanation, I will callthe walls on the sides of the cigarettes the top wall 13 and bottom wall14, and the side walls 15 and 16 respectively. The end walls are shownat 17 and 18. I am employing this description contrary to the. generalusage of such a package to more readily explain the function of myinvention.

The cigarettes 20 are first bound together as illustrated in Fig. 3. Alayer of light protecting paper 21 'is first enveloped around them, alayer of strong paper 22 containing the printed matter is next foldedaround, and an outer layer of glazed or otherwise moisture-proofed paper23 is compactly enclosed around the whole. These layers of paper arenormally folded over and sealed as shown at the end wall 17.

When it is desired to fracture a wall in accordance with my invention,any wall parallel to the plane in which the cigarettes are packed may befractured. Either the top wall 13 or the bottom wall 14 in the type ofpackage shownare preferably fractured along their medial line.

As explained, my invention comprises, the provision v in a (package ofthis description of means dispose underneath one wall thereof parallelto the tubular cigarettes as they are packed to protect the cigaretteson fracture of said wall. As shown said means referably comprises acomparatively stiffer ayer 24 of protecting material attached totheinner side 25 of the top wall 13 near its medial line. Said layer 24preferably com prises, a card-board strip having a groove 26 extendingalong one edge thereof. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 this groove 26is preferably V-shaped so as to more conveniently receive a knife bladeor finger nail therein. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5 the groove 26is semi-circular. The upper surface 27 of said cardboard strip 24 may beconveniently pasted to the inner side 25 of the u per wall 13 near itsmedial line. This may' conveniently attached before the end 17 of thepackage is folded over and closed. When the strip '24 is placed in.position and the cigarettes inserted in said package, the groove 26 maynormally project between certain of cigarettes as shown in Fig. 3. Ademarkation, such as the line '30 may be printed on the exterior of thetop wall 13 along its medial line thereof immediately above the groove26, to denote where to fracture the wall 13.

The operation of my invention is obvious from the above description.When it is desired to open the package 10 the medial line of the topwall 13 is fractured by a finger nail or knifeblade along the line 30.The package 10 may then be gently pulled over tothe position shown inFig. 2, to permit the withdrawal of the cigarettes individually asneeded, the end walls 17 and 18 normally splitting about half way downas shown in Fig. 2. As explained, due to the inherent resiliency of thecigarettes, and the flexibility of the layers of material of which saidwalls 11 are composed the package even after having been opened willtend to spring back to its original position. As the'cigarettes are onlyremoved from their original packed position as needed, and are compactlyand resiliently contained in their original position by the flexiblewalls 11 of the package 10, it is obvious that each cigarette will keepin almost perfect condition until the last cigarette is withdrawn.

It is understood that my invention is not limited to the specificembodiments shown and that various deviations may be made therefromwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A package having walls composed of a plurality of layers of frangibleflexible paper, frangible tubular articles disposed in substantiallyparallel relation to each other compactly contained therein and acomparatively stiffer layer of protective material attached to the innerside of one wall thereof having an edge parallel and adjacent to one ofsaid articles to protect said articles on fracture of said wall fromwithout.

2. A package having walls composed of a plurality of layers of frangibleflexible paper, cigarettes disposed in substantially parallel relationto each other compactly contained therein, a comparatively stifi'erlayer of protective; material attached to the inner side of one wallthereof having an edge parallel and adjacent to one of said cigarettesto protect said cigarettes on fracture of said wall from without;

3. A package having frangible, flexible walls and frangible tubulararticles panked in substantially parallel relation to each other within,and a comparatively stiffer layer of protective material attached to theinner side of one wall thereof having a groove extending along onev edgethereof parallel to said articles to protect said articles on fractureof said wall from witihout.

4. A package having frangible, flexible walls and cigarettes packed insubstantially parallel relation to each other within and a comparativelystiffer layer of protective material attached to the inner side of onewall thereof having a groove extending along one edge thereof parallelto said cigarettes to protect said cigarettes on fracture of said wallfrom without.

5. A package having walls composed of a plurality of layers offrangible, flexible paper, frangible tubular articles disposed insubstantially parallel relation to each other compactly containedtherein and a strip of cardboard attached to the inner side of one wallthereof parallel to said articles having a groove extending along oneedge thereof fitting between certain of said articles.

6. A package having walls composed of a plurality of layers of flexible,frangible paper, cigarettes disposed in substantially parallel relationto each other compactly contained therein, and a layer of cardboardattached to the inner side of one wall thereof parallel to saidcigarettes having a groove extending along one edge thereof fitting be;

wall thereof parallel tosaid articles having a groove extending alongone edge thereof fitting between certain of said articles and ademarkation on the outside of said package over said groove.

8. A package having walls composed of a plurality of layers offrangible, flexible paper, cigarettes disposed in substantially parallelrelation to each other contained therein and a strip of cardboardattached to the inner side of one wall thereof parallel to saidcigarettes having a groove extending along one edge'thereot' fittingbetween certain of said cigarettes and a demarkation on the outside ofsaid package over said groove.

In testimony whereof heafi'ixes his signature.

WILLIAM B. PRESCOTT.

